Bronco Test for AFL: Purpose, Procedure, Scoring, and Training

What is the Bronco Test for AFL?

The Bronco test is a high-intensity, intermittent shuttle running drill widely utilized in Australian Rules Football (AFL) to assess an athlete's repeated-sprint ability, aerobic power, anaerobic capacity, and change-of-direction speed, all critical physical attributes for success in the dynamic and demanding sport.

Introduction to the Bronco Test

The Bronco test, also known as the 1.2km shuttle run or the 20/40/60m shuttle, originated in rugby union as a measure of fitness and has been widely adopted by various team sports, particularly AFL, due to its ability to simulate the intermittent, multi-directional demands of game play. It is a field-based test that provides a practical and relatively simple method for coaches and sports scientists to gauge an athlete's conditioning levels.

Purpose and Relevance in AFL

AFL is characterized by high-speed running, frequent changes of direction, repeated short bursts of intense effort, and significant total distances covered over a game. The Bronco test is particularly relevant for AFL players because it effectively measures several key fitness components essential for navigating these demands:

• Repeated-Sprint Ability (RSA): The test requires multiple maximal or near-maximal efforts with short recovery periods, mirroring the repeated high-intensity efforts (sprints, tackles, contests) seen in a match.
• Aerobic Power: While highly anaerobic, the test's duration and repeated efforts also tax the aerobic system, which is crucial for recovery between efforts and maintaining performance throughout a game.
• Anaerobic Capacity: The short, sharp accelerations and decelerations rely heavily on anaerobic energy pathways.
• Change-of-Direction Speed (Agility): The shuttle nature of the test inherently involves rapid changes in direction, a fundamental skill in AFL for evading opponents, chasing the ball, and positioning.
• Work Capacity: It provides an overall measure of an athlete's ability to perform sustained high-intensity work.

How the Bronco Test is Performed

The Bronco test is typically performed on a flat, even surface such as a football oval or synthetic pitch.

Setup:

• Three cones are placed at 0, 20, and 40 meters from a starting line.
• A fifth cone (or marker) is placed at 60 meters from the starting line.

Procedure:

1. Start: The athlete starts at the 0-meter line.
2. Shuttle 1: Sprint to the 20-meter cone, touch the line with a foot, and immediately sprint back to the 0-meter line, touching it.
3. Shuttle 2: Immediately sprint to the 40-meter cone, touch the line, and sprint back to the 0-meter line, touching it.
4. Shuttle 3: Immediately sprint to the 60-meter cone, touch the line, and sprint back to the 0-meter line, touching it.
5. Repetitions: This sequence (20m out and back, 40m out and back, 60m out and back) constitutes one "lap" or repetition. The athlete performs this entire sequence five times consecutively without stopping.

Total Distance: Each lap covers 240 meters (20+20+40+40+60+60). With five laps, the total distance covered in the Bronco test is 1200 meters (1.2 kilometers).

Scoring: The total time taken to complete all five laps is recorded to the nearest second or tenth of a second.

Scoring and Interpretation

Lower times indicate superior fitness. While "good" times can vary based on age, playing position, and level of competition, general benchmarks exist for AFL players:

• Elite AFL Players: Often complete the Bronco test in the range of 4 minutes 20 seconds to 4 minutes 50 seconds. Some exceptional athletes may even dip below 4 minutes 20 seconds.
• Developing Players/State League: Times typically range from 4 minutes 50 seconds to 5 minutes 30 seconds.

Coaches and recruiters use these results to:

• Benchmark Performance: Compare an athlete's score against normative data or against their own previous scores.
• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: A poor Bronco score might highlight a need for improved conditioning, particularly in repeated sprint ability and aerobic capacity.
• Monitor Training Effectiveness: Track improvements over pre-season or during specific training blocks.
• Talent Identification: It's a common test used at AFL Draft Combines.

Physiological Demands and Energy Systems

The Bronco test places significant demands on both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems, reflecting the intermittent nature of AFL.

• ATP-PC System (Anaerobic Alactic): Dominant during the initial acceleration phases of each sprint segment (0-20m, 0-40m, 0-60m). This system provides immediate, high-power energy for short bursts.
• Glycolytic System (Anaerobic Lactic): Becomes increasingly active as the sprints continue and repeated efforts accumulate, leading to the production of lactate. This system provides energy for slightly longer, intense efforts and contributes significantly to fatigue towards the end of each lap and the overall test.
• Aerobic System: Crucial for recovery between the sprint efforts within each lap and between the five laps. A well-developed aerobic system allows for faster clearance of metabolic byproducts (like lactate) and regeneration of ATP, enabling the athlete to maintain higher intensities throughout the test.

Muscle Groups Involved: The primary muscle groups engaged include the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves for propulsion, acceleration, and deceleration. The core muscles are also heavily involved in stabilizing the trunk during changes of direction.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages:

• Sport-Specific: Mimics the intermittent, multi-directional running demands of AFL.
• Practicality: Requires minimal equipment (cones, stopwatch) and can be administered to multiple athletes simultaneously.
• High Correlation: Scores often correlate well with on-field performance measures and overall game fitness.
• Motivational: Provides a clear, measurable outcome for athletes to strive for improvement.

Limitations:

• Not Position-Specific in Isolation: While general, it doesn't fully account for the unique physical demands of every AFL position (e.g., ruck vs. small forward).
• Fatigue Masking: Fatigue can impact technique and change-of-direction efficiency, potentially masking an athlete's true agility or speed if they are aerobically under-conditioned.
• No Contact/Skill: It's purely a physical test and does not assess crucial AFL skills like marking, kicking, or tackling, nor the impact of physical contact.
• Motivation Dependent: Maximal effort is required for accurate results, and a lack of motivation can artificially inflate times.

Training to Improve Bronco Performance

Improving Bronco test performance requires a multifaceted approach targeting all the physiological components it assesses:

• Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) Drills: Incorporate short, maximal sprints (e.g., 10-40m) with incomplete recovery, mimicking the test's demands. Examples include 6 x 40m sprints with 30 seconds rest.
• Interval Training: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) with work-to-rest ratios similar to the test (e.g., longer sprints or shuttle runs with short recovery) will enhance both anaerobic and aerobic capacity.
• Aerobic Conditioning: Develop a strong aerobic base through continuous running, tempo runs, or longer interval sessions. This improves recovery between efforts.
• Change-of-Direction (Agility) Drills: Practice specific agility drills that involve rapid acceleration, deceleration, and changes in direction to improve efficiency and reduce time lost in turns.
• Strength and Power Training: Focus on exercises that improve acceleration (e.g., squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, plyometrics) and deceleration (e.g., eccentric loading, controlled landings) to enhance sprint speed and efficiency.
• Test Familiarization: Practice the Bronco test itself or components of it to improve pacing strategies and technique.

Conclusion

The Bronco test stands as a cornerstone fitness assessment in Australian Rules Football, offering a comprehensive and practical measure of an athlete's conditioning for the sport's unique demands. By assessing repeated-sprint ability, aerobic power, anaerobic capacity, and agility, it provides invaluable insights for coaches, athletes, and recruiters. While not a standalone predictor of on-field success, a strong Bronco performance is a clear indicator of the physical readiness required to excel in the high-intensity, intermittent nature of AFL.